crystal.

[indocile]

FORM: Sending crystal!
SENDER: Margaux
RECIPIENT: Everyone
WHAT: An observation
WHEN: Current
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: Warnings TBA if necessary.

( the voice that comes through the crystals is young, light, high lilting orlesian; educated, but after the fact, someone whose speech is influenced by time spent around the upper-classes rather than someone who is identifiably one of them. the tone is thoughtful; )

There are an awful lot of Dalish, aren't there?

( like, any. )

Are they all one clan?

( gosh, they can probably hear this. )

Comments

[indocile]

I believe you.

( she does. it seems an important thing to establish before she continues; )

It can't be easy, thought, to believe new things. After a long times. I don't mean to say you don't mean what you say, only --

The things we take for granted. Like the elf who says to me the Dalish are not a project, he thinks here is a shem creature who wants to study this novelty.

( no one is perfect; no one overhauls every thought they have in a moment. pel seems like someone who'd value being told when her old thoughts seem to linger. but margaux steps with care and will not push again, only remember. )

[mythalenaste]

[That is an interesting point to make. She considers carefully before answering.]

That is probably what he thinks. It's the attitude we've been given from shems in the Inquisition. Some elves from the city have wanted to learn the old ways. Others have things well in hand without expectations from more privileged elves, thank you very much. And that's really what the Dalish are--more privileged elves, who are taught every day that we are the last hope for elvenkind, and if we are from especially liberal clans, we are taught that elves of the city will one day join us and learn how to be proper elves. But...probably a majority of clans would not accept my child, and by extension me, because my child's father is not Dalish. But elves like some I've met, like Sabine, are just as proud to be who they are as any Dalish. I guess I've stopped thinking the Dalish are potential saviors of the city elves, and thought that city elves are just as legitimate and precious a culture as the Dalish. It isn't a lack of pride, or being cowed by a more powerful force, that makes you submit. You don't really submit at all. You remember who you are. Maybe it's the Dalish who have forgotten."

[indocile]

Maybe.

( it's a great deal to process, is what it is - margaux mulls it over as she drinks her tea, thoughtful. trying to listen past the instinct of a hurt child to reject everything about the thing that has hurt her. )

It's only a gift as long as it's what you want, isn't it?

When I wanted different, I went to take it, the ways open to me. But my mama, my papa - I can go home. If I want the different thing, I don't have to be giving up what I knew before.

It isn't easy to be an elf anywhere. We take our joy, no?